Palpa Trek

Situated at 1372m. above sea level, the ancient town of Tansen is the headquarters of Palpa district. Ancient culture, excellent mountain views, serene atmosphere and friendly people are the major attractions of this area. Besides, Tansen has also gained its popularity for historical monuments, temples and lively handicraft industry. It is located about seven kilometers northwest of Bartung in Siddhartha Highway.

The moderate weather of this pristine peace of earth offers trekking in this region throughout the year. Dhaulagiri, Annapurna, Manaslu, Gauri Shankar and other peaks can be seen when the days are clear. Dhaka - the most popular hand woven cloth of Nepal has its origin in Tansen. The Nepali topi (national cap) is made of Dhaka and one can find weavers at work on their looms. Visitors are offered cultural programs such as Dohari, a local singing competition in which the team of boys and team of girls sing one after another to win the other group on request. Doharis are popular songs which move every Nepali for its rich melody and heart-touching quality. There are various places worthy to be visited in Palpa. The major attractions are as followes:

Balanced on the lap of the spectacular Srinagar Danda (hill), Tansen boasts a gorgeous panorama of the Himalayas as well as the plains of Terai. Tansen is among a few towns outside the capital which bears a rich legacy of the traditional art and architecture. Situated at an elevation of 1310 meters, Tansen is a pleasant place to visit throughout the year. The hill of Srinagar located at an elevation of 1524m, half an hour’s walk up Tansen Bazaar, is rare vantage point to view the contrasting manifestation of nature. An incredibly long panorama of the mountains encircling Kanjiroba, Dhaulagiri, Annapurna and Langtang Himal at a stretch is visible from here on one hand, while on the other the plains of Madi valley and the bigger terai also comes to distinct view from the same point. Besides, one can visit some of the beautiful points on the Kali Gandaki river such as Ranighat Palace and Ramdi Ghat, the dense and serene woody slopes of Rambhapani and Satyawati lake. Tansen also provides opportunity for studying Buddhist culture and the life and culture of Magar tribes.

Shreenagar Hill is another attraction of this trek. It is one of the most picturesque spots in the whole Palpa region. Shreenagar hill is situated in a scenic grander and magnificent natural surroundings. A mere 30 minutes climb on foot or 10 minutes drive from the town of Tansen, can lead to the top of the hill which commands a unique spectrum of natural extravaganza-from the snowcapped Himalayan peaks in the north to the lush green wide expanse of plains of Terai in the south, and of course, the panoramic view of the Tansen town. The impressive meadow on the hill top is an ideal spot to view the breathtaking scenes of majestic Dhaulagiri, Annapurna and the famed twin peaks of Machhapuchare-the fishtail mountain.

Amar Narayan Temple is the next attraction of this trek. Built in 1807 AD by Amar Singh Thapa, the temple of Amar Narayan is considered an important landmark of Tansen. It is built in typical Nepali Pagoda style. It is famous for its historical and architectural significance. The intricate works of wood carvings in the temple are simply marvelous. The temple is surrounded by one meter wide stone wall-locally known as the ‘Great wall of Palpa’. Inside the temple-complex there are the temple of Lord Mahadev, ponds, parks, rest houses and a natural water spring. Every morning and evening devotees gather in the compound and chant ‘Bhajans’ ( holy recitals) in chorus.

Tansen Durbar, built in 1927 AD by Pratap Shamsher Jung Bahadur Rana, is a grand imposing palace in the heart of the town. Once the seat of the Rana governors, the Durbar is now the district secretariat of Palpa district.

Shitalpati (the Round House) is another attraction of Tansen. Built by Khadga Shamsher, the original Shitalpati is of octagonal shape. A round house around the Shitapati has been recently built. The historically important Shitalpati is a popular hang out for the locals now. The ‘Baggi Dhoka’, the biggest gate of its kind in Nepal is located in this square. The locals often rend to compare it with the architecture of Mugal Empire in India.

Bhagawati Temple, built by Ujir Singh Thapa in 1814 AD to mark the victory over colonial British-India forces, is a small structure but holds immense religions importance. Located near the Tansen Durbar, it is a pilgrimage of Palpalies. It is said that the original structure was remarkably bigger and beautiful. It has undergone many physical adjustments, most recently after the great earthquake of 1934. In the month of August every year, a chariot procession of deities is taken out throughout the town with military honor to observe the historic battle.

Amargunj Ganesh was also built by Amar Singh Thapa. Similarly, Amar Narayan temple was also built in 1807 A.D. by Amar Singh Thapa. Architecturally, the temple bears the same style and character of Amar Narayan Temple. The temple has a big artistic ‘Rest House’ where a school has been run currently.

Itinerary :

Day 01: Arrival in Kathmandu (1320m.)
Upon arrival in Kathmandu, you will be received by our representatives and will be transferred to hotel. After checking into our rooms, we could relax at our own.
While in Kathmandu you will have time to explore fascinating Buddhist and Hindu temples and shrines reflecting ancient local traditions. We will have time to explore the city's many charms on our own too. In the evening delicious traditional Nepali well come dinner await for us.

Day 02:Kathmandu
After breakfast, we'll visit Swayambhunath temple which is said to be 2000 years old. A visit in the stupa on a hillock offers breath-taking view of Kathmandu City. We will then proceed towards Pasupatinath and Bouddhanath. After lunch we'll visit Kathmandu Durbar Square, Patan (Lalitpur) which is the oldest of the three major cities in Kathmandu Valley . The city is famous for its Buddhist monuments and Hindu temples.

Day 03:Kathmandu to Charaudi (827m.)
Today morning we drive to Charaudi by tourist bus from Kathmandu. Upon arrival at Charaudi, we get ready for the rafting trip.Having lunch in the beach, we start our river trip. We will do rafting for about 4 hours and reach at the camp for overnight stay.

Day 04:Charaudi to Chitwan (150m-815m.)
We would have breakfast at Charaudi and go for rafting for another half day. After finishing the rafting trip we drive to Chitwan. Upon arrival, lunch will be served, rooms assigned and there will be a short briefing on the program that we would undertake. In the evening, Tharu Cultural program would be performed on request.

Day 05:Chitwan
Full day safari activities in Chitwan such as elephant ride, jungle walk, Canoe ride, etc. Wake-up call will be followed by tea or coffee, then we proceed on a Nature Walk. Our guides will help us to identify some species of birds, plants and other wildlife that we may encounter. We would have breakfast and then go for elephant ride. We would learn more about these fascinating animals during our visit to elephant stables. In the afternoon, we would go for taking a dip in the pool. In the afternoon, we go for canoeing, a traditional dug-out canoe takes us on a silent trip down the Rapti river to view aquatic birds and the animals of the river banks. Tharu Stick Dance would be performed in the evening before dinner. Dinner around the campfire.

Day 06: Chitwan to Lumbini (600ft.)
Today we go to Lumbini from Chitwan. Upon arrival Lumbini, we will be transferred to the hotel, check-in and then we go walking through the Sacred Lumbini Garden where the Buddha was born. Lumbini, the birthplace of Siddhartha Gautam, the Shakya prince and the ultimate Buddha, the Enlightened One, is the pilgrimage destination of the world’s millions of people faithful to all schools of Buddhism. UNESCO has listed this nativity site, identified by Indian Emperor Ashoka’s commemorative pillar as a World Heritage Site.

The main attraction at Lumbini remains the Sacred Garden, which spread over 8sq km and possessing all the treasures of the historic area. The Mayadevi temple is another attraction for pilgrims and archaeologists alike. Here we find a bas relief of Mayadevi, Buddha’s mother giving birth to him. Standing west to the Mayadevi shrine is the oldest monument of Nepal, the Ashoka Pillar. Emperor Ashoka erected the pillar in 249BC to commemorate his pilgrimage to the sacred site. To the south of the pillar, we find the sacred pond, Puskarni, where Queen Mayadevi had taken a bath just before giving birth to Lord Buddha.

Day 07: Lumbini
Today we explore the city of Lumbini. After breakfast, we begin the trip by driving away, 27km west of Lumbini; visit the important archaeological site, Tilaurkot, the ancient palace of King Suddodha (Siddhartha Gautam's father), where the Buddha spent his formative years as a Shakya Prince. The Kapilvastu Museum has the pottery, jewelry and ornaments which would be observed during our visit. We would pack-up Lumbini tour in Tilaurkot by visiting the shrines, monasteries and stupa near the sacred garden.

Day 08:Lumbini to Tansen (1310m.)
After breakfast, we leave Lumbini and drive to Tansen (1310m.). Balanced on the lap of the spectacular Srinagar Danda (hill), Tansen boasts a gorgeous panorama of the Himalayas as well as the plains of Terai. Tansen is among a few towns outside the capital which bears a rich legacy of the traditional art and architecture. Situated at an elevation of 1310 meters, Tansen is a pleasant place to visit throughout the year.

Day 09:Tansen
We would visit Srinagar Danda , Amar Narayan temple, Tansen Durbar, Sittalpati, Bhagawati temple, Ammar Gunj Ganesh, etc. at Tansen. Its unique geographical location, climate and the people spell an aura of dreamy holiday. Tourists can make detours at ease to see and admire the narrow zigzag streets, stream of colorful people passing by in local attires. Typical Newari houses, pagoda style temples, shrines and stupas are abound here.

Day 10:Tansen to Pokhara (900m.)
Having breakfast at Tansen, we go to Pokhara (900m.). Upon arrival at Pokhara, we would go to hotel. Pokhara is an enchanting city nestled in a serene valley known as a hub of adventure. Its natural ambience which allows enjoying lakeside tranquility and breathtaking views of magnificent Machhapuchre (Fish Tail) peak (6993m.) has transformed Pokhara into a paradise of Earth. There is hardly any place in the world which could match the unparallel view of three above 8000m. high mountain peaks (Mt. Dhaulagiri- 8167m, Mt. Manaslu-8163m and Mt. Annapurna-8091m.) at the backdrop of Lake Phewa from the luxury hotels. This resplendent and verdant valley is a tropical destination of many scenic and azure lakes in the foregrounds of sudden green hills and majestic snowy mountains. The epicenter of Western Nepal, Pokhara leads the way to Gorkha, Manakamana, Chitwan National Park and Lumbini in the south and southwest while the northern routes lead to the highest points in the Himalaya and the Tibetan Plateau ia Kagbeni, Marpha, Mukti Nath, Jomsom, Manang, Tilicho Lake- situated at the highest eleviation in the world, Mustang, Thorung-La, the Annapurna Circuit, the Annapurna Santuary and the Kali Gandaki Gorge, the deepest in the world etc. We would have panoramic Mountain views, beautiful lakes including Phewa, Begnas and Rupa, Davi’s Fall (Patale Chhango), International Mountain Museum, Regional Museum, Annapurna Museum, Gorkha Memorial Museum, Barahi Temple, Bindabasini Temple, Bhadrakali Temple, Karma Kagyu Choekerling Tibetan Monastery, World Peace Pagoda, Old Bazaar area (Heritage site of Pokhara), Caves, Lakeside, Seti Gorge, Tibetan Settlements, etc.

Day 11:Pokhara
Full day sightseeing around Pokhara.

Day 12:Pokhara to Kathmandu
Today we drive to Kathmandu from Pokhara. We would enjoy the scenic beauty of nature on the way. Upon arrival in Kathmandu, we check-in to hotel. Overnight in the hotel.

Day 13: Kathmandu
It is our day to explore this lively and exotic city. Our guide will take us to visit the World Heritage Sites of the valley and some other historically and culturally important places of the valley. In the evening, a farewell dinner would be served at Bhojan Griha, the delights of Nepali cuisine.

Price Includes:

All meals (Breakfast/lunch/dinner with tea/coffee) while on trek, accommodation in teahouses, a guide, porter, ground transportation, permit if aplicable,, all necessaries for Nepalese staff (all meals, accommodation in teahouses, equipments, insurance etc).